Georgia Law takes first in regional negotiation competition

Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia School of Law finished as one of the top four teams in the country at the American Bar Association Law Student Division National Negotiation Competition last month.

Second-year law students Kenneth J. Bentley, from Peachtree City, Ga., and Amanda J. Shaw, from Maitland, Fla., represented Georgia Law in the competition. The duo defeated teams from schools such as Stetson University and the University of California, Berkeley to be named national finalists.

The competition took place in Dallas, Texas, and involved a variety of hypothetical small-business transactions, including employment contracts, technology licensing, advertising agreements and sales of various goods.

Georgia Law also received the top awards for the buyer side at the Southeastern Regional Transactional LawMeet during February, including regional finalist and best draft honors. Representing the school were third-year law students Alessandra C. Backus, from Charleston, S.C., and Christopher A. Knapik, from Marietta, Ga. The team will now advance to the national level of the competition, which will take place at Drexel University at the end of the month.

“Competitions like this provide an excellent opportunity for our law students to hone their negotiation skills,” said Carol Morgan, director of the Business Law and Ethics Program at Georgia Law. “I am extremely proud of them for their performance. I am also grateful for the hard work and dedication of our alumni and faculty who helped to coach them.”